The annual Royal Lifesaving Society UK Drowning Prevention Week campaign, in partnership with the RNLI and Swim England, takes place between the 15th and 25th June 2018. With the aim to reduce the number of drowning and near drowning incidents, it promotes water safety to show people how to be safe by water. Over 700 people die in the water in the UK and Ireland each year with hundreds more have near-drowning experiences. Drowning Prevention Week encourages schools, leisure centres and businesses to come up with ways people can stay safe near and in the water.

It's essential everyone knows the Water Safety Code to stay safe. If you're around the water, stop and look out for potential dangers. Never swim alone and in an emergency, call 999 or 112. If you fall in, float or swim on your back. At home, use self-closing gates to prevent children accessing swimming pools, empty paddling pools and turn them upside down, cover sinks or drains. Always supervise children's bath time and empty the bath straightaway. On holiday, make sure swimming pools are gated and check where the safest places to swim are. Understand local warnings and what flags mean. Always check depth, currents and rising tides. Do not dive from rocks or use inflatables in the open water. For more information about keeping children safe in the water, please see our post on buoyancy aids suitable for children up to the age of 5.

Do share what you're doing for Drowning Prevention Week by tweeting RLSSUK and using the hashtags #DPW or #StopDrowning. You will find Zoggs UK here.